Youth Football Reality Show Highlights Violence and Extreme Coaching

The NFL says it's "troubling to watch" - I get physically ill when I watch it. I'm talking about Esquire Network's crazy youth football reality show, "Friday Night Tykes" which features kids playing football, and the crazy coaches and parents that surround them.

I take this video kind of personally. Over Christmas vacation at a family dinner my family was joking with my son Turner about being a linebacker when he gets older because he's a big guy, when I stopped the conversation cold by saying "He's not playing football."

The room became silent. How could I possibly say that my three year old tank would not be allowed to play football! My Dad was mildly offended, having been All-American in high school. I have my reasons, though.

In addition to all of the medical problems that professional football players are having due to years of taking hits, there are also dozens of high school athletes who are ruing their careers, and lives because of football. A young boy from Western New York just died on the field this fall!

Maybe I'm being overprotective, but I'm a mom, isn't that my job? I would just prefer him to play a different sport!

I think extremes when it comes to childhood activities of any sort to be off-putting. Like the shows "Toddlers and Tiaras" and "Dance Moms" for instance, which highlight child pageants and dancing. Don't you kind of find it revolting how those kids are treated?